3 course meal timing

Here's a plan to put together a three course meal of breaded mushrooms, stuffed chicken breasts and vanilla panna cotta for a dinner party.  Its a great menu to use as everything can be prepared in advance so you can sit down and enjoy the company!

I started the menu around 12:00 and was finished by 15:00, but you may want to start a little earlier.

• Start with the Panna Cotta and do the whole recipe up to the point you put the moulds in the fridge to set - they will take 8hrs to set so if you want to this the night before to be sure they have set then this is good as well :)
• Next put the potatoes on to boil and then start to prepare the chicken according to the recipe, follow the recipe all the way through until the chicken is ready in the pan and the potatoes are in the cooking rings, leave in a cool place until the evening.
• Prepare the breaded mushrooms according to the recipe and leave on the baking sheet ready for cooking.
• I usually plan to serve dinner at 19:30 (guests arrive at 19:00), so about 18:30 I'd put the oven on at 180 degrees and set the table ready (remember to put the garlic dip on the table), get small plates out to serve the mushrooms on and make a small salad on each plate.  Also get the green vegetable out you have chosen for the main course, and prepare in a dish or bag to go in the microwave.
• If the mushrooms haven't been in the fryer, then I would put them in the oven around 19:05, if they have then I would put them in at 19:15.  At 19:30, place around 9 mushrooms per portion on the plates.  Put the chicken dish and the potatoes in the oven.  Serve the mushrooms and enjoy your starter.
• When you clear the table from the starter, get the plates for the main meal out and put in a sink of very hot water to heat up.
• About 20:25 put the vegetables into the microwave to cook.  Get the plates out of the sink and dry then place out on the side in the kitchen.  Take the potatoes and chicken out of the oven.  Using a fish slice place each potato ring in the centre of each plate and using a tea towel pull each ring off.  Open the dish with the chicken in and using tongs or a slotted spoon remove each chicken parcel and place on top of the potatoes in an artistic fashion, I did put the chicken directly on top of the potato but it did look like a large mushroom so maybe balance the chicken against the potato.  Pour sauce over the top of the chicken.  Put the vegetables in a dish and take them to the table and then follow with the chicken.
• Once dinner is done, give everyone a rest and then when people are ready for dessert prepare the panna cotta according to the recipe.
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